Naughty Bat (Reincarnation Piece)
by Rosellia of Lunaris
Summary: A reincarnation Of Vexia-Iceflower's Naughty Bat. Rose has been adopted into the Silverwing colony. How do you think she'll react to Goth? Lets find out! This story may be continued after the current story I'm working on is finished. Not into M yet buuuut...We'll be getting there
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 (maybe): Hoooolaaaaaa...

The sun was rising. The great celestial body that no bat had seen for generations was comin over the lip of the world and slightly beaming onto the slumbering faces of the silverwing colony. Well, all except one.  
_Well. I never thought I would see the day when the bats returned to the world of the sun. _Thought the large ginger female roosting with the smaller silverwings. Much to the chagrin of the males of the colony, she was almost the same size as them. So while most of the females her age where finding mates, she was stuck being single.  
_Not that I really need a bat to be my mate. _Grinned the ginger. _After all a shapeshifter doesn't need to limit her only choice to one species._  
She turned as a groggy voice called out to her from a different part of the colony's roost.  
"Rose! What's up. You're not sleeping like the others. Is your wing bothering you?" Asked a sleepy Shade. He glanced worriedly at the tear in her wing.  
Rose grinned. He was such a sweet boy. He would make a wonderful mate to Marina one day. _If he would just get up the damn courage. _"A little, but it's nothing too serious. I don't need anymore painkiller if that's what you're asking." She was still beating herself up for not managing to come out of her unconscious state and heal her wing before Mercury had showed up. Now she had to worry about her wing's condition healing to fast and tipping off the colony to what she really was.  
"I said thanks for saving my butt from that owl, right?" The young male asked, basically stating his appreciation.  
"It's fine kid! You're one of the more pleasant bats to have around. If you had died who would I have left to talk to?" Rose laughed and the young bat ginned. "But hey, shouldn't you be asleep too? Your mother will have a conniption if she thinks you're getting sick, even if you're just overtired."  
"What's a conniption?" Questioned Shade.  
"Uhhh," _Crap! Used a Hades word! _"Umm, it kinda means to have a fit, but I guess it's caused by worry." The female tried to explain. "Hey why don't you go sleep next to Marina? I'm sure she would like the company."  
"I don't know..." Shade tried to avoid the suggestion.  
"It'll be fine hun. Trust me." Rose wrapped her good wing around the little male. "I'm going out for a quick flight anyways."  
Shade sighed, "If you're sure..." He dropped from the branch and flew over to the brightwing female and huddled up next to her to keep away the cold. The Red female grinned. So cute!  
Rose took off into the brightening winter morning with the warm sunlight illuminating her face. She flew on and on till she reached the pool under the entrance to Hibernaculum. Her injured wing started to sting with the cold as she perched atop a dead branch. While she watched the light of the sun dance over the frozen edges of the water she saw something dark flutter out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned her head to look, there were only dead oak leaves. The sight didn't stop the sense of foreboding that had suddenly settled over her. Shivering, she looked for a slightly warmer place for her to watch the morning progress. There was a small rotted out place in her tree that was perfect for a bat her size. She quickly snuggled in and felt somewhat better with her new, if temporary, housing. At least, until she saw the profile of a very large bat shivering outside.  
The large bat looked from behind his folded wings, into the little nook and continued to shiver uncontrollably. "How rude it is, not to greet a visitor."  
Rose glanced at the new addition to the scenery. "Is there any reason to greet you? Your accent implies you are not from around here. There is no need to greet a bat that is just passing through." She spoke with a regal bearing. _No need to let this bat know how unsettling he is._  
He let out a short burst of laughter, uncovering his face. The wispy clouds of his breath framed his face handsomely. " The females of the North, are they all so...outspoken?" He spoke slowly, as if trying to find the right word.  
"That would depend on the female. I am uncommon, but certainly not rare. Any female that is worth mating should be able to hold her own. After all, we could be just as strong as you males if we didn't have to worrying about nurturing the next in line." She spoke calmly. Unfortunately, the flinch that resulted from the sharp, loud release of laughter from the larger bat made short work of her calm facade.  
"You- You make it sound like it's your patriotic duty!" The Male grabbed at his sides in what looked like an effort to hold himself together. Once he calmed down he spoke. "You obviously are unmated. Most females quickly find out how easy it is once they mate, the male takes care of them, they get lazy and eventually don't have to do anything until they have another spawn."  
"Wow." Rose quipped, "You don't strike me as a bat who would put up with that kind of thing."  
"How so?" The Larger bat questioned.  
"Well, from the way you talk it sounds like you have pretty atrocious mate." Suddenly, Rose got an image of an over-preened female nagging the still nameless male every morning when came back to roost. The urge to laugh hit her like a ton of bricks and suddenly she had to cover her face with a wing to stifle the onslaught of giggles. The Male was not amused...

**Hi guys!**  
**So here is the deal. This is what I like to call a Reincarnation piece. A Reincarnation piece ismade when a story written by one Author is rebuilt by another author. The general ruling is that if the original story is not updated within a certain amount of time (I'm talking years here, so if somebody doesn't update within a few months it WILL NOT become a Reincarnation Piece) it can be reincarnated. **  
**1) The original Author will get a message from the me so that if they do want to finish the story, or they just don't want anyone recycling the idea (which is understandable) they can send me a message to get the Reincarnation deleted. **  
**2) Reincarnations are not permanent stories! They are subject to removal is there becomes an issue.**  
**3) The original Author's name WIll appear at the end of the Author's note if you would like to check out the original story.**  
**~*The original Naughty Bat was Written By ****Vexia Iceflower** **and is based on the Canadian Animated Series Silverwing. All royalties should go to the respected parties.*~**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey People, I just wanted to say that I was bored...and thinking about Goth...Which led to this so...Yeah. Have fun! :D**  
Chapter 2: Woah...Wait, What!?

The Male was not happy. Not happy at all. How _dare _this female laugh at him! Of course, she didn't know of him, the puny Northerner. Well, maybe not _puny._ Actually, to be honest, the woman would be considered petite by his kind, not puny. Shaking his head, gargantuan male banished the thoughts from his head. She obviously needed a lesson on who he was.

Jumping back into the conversation, the male growled his annoyance and simply stated, "I do not have a mate, I was taken from my home in the jungle before I could take one," He puffed up a little, which just seemed ridiculous, looking at his scruffy state. "No female would have the ability to say no to being my mate, the mate of the prince of darkness!"

"Oooh, dramatic." Rose quipped mockingly, " And, by the way, you're looking at a female who would most likely say no."

She launched herself out of the tree, intent on making a swift (and hopefully ego-crushing) exit. That didn't exactly work. Suddenly, Rose was knocked clear out of the sky by what felt like a freight train. The air left her body with a gasp as she and what ever hit her fell into the fresh snowfall. The snow stung the tear in her wing.

"You should know your place, little bat." The Male growled pushing her deeper into the snow. Rose struggled to break free of the iron grip, but had to stop as the rip in her wing started to lengthen. The giant bat watched his captive struggle a few moments before noticing the red tinge infusing with the snow.

"Hm? what is this?" The male released his grip on Rose's shoulders and switched it to her wing to inspect the wound.

Rose grit her teeth as her wing was taken into sharp claws. Her whole body felt numb from the pain, her body refusing to let her move freely. That was before the gigantic bat moved her wing to get a better view of the damage. "That hurts, you-you-!" She weakly tried to take a swipe at his head , but he easily caught her wrist. He instead, took he stutter for a question.

"My name is Goth...you should know before you die after all" he said to her smoothly, smirking a bit as he took a sample of her blood on his claw and licked it off.

"The cannibal." Growled the female.

The Male smirked, "Who did you think I was? An overgrown silverwing?" He cackled, then licked his fangs in a hungry manner. "Let us play a game. If you can fly away and somehow escape me, you won't die." He knew full well she couldn't get away with her injury.

The young female looked up into Goth's face, "Guess I better get going then." She spat out. And with that, Rose pushed off into the air and let the wind carry her away from the bloody cannibal. But she knew full well that he would have the upper hand. The wind that carried her away could and would carry him to her. It was only a matter of time.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Mi Amor...?

The sun had succumbed to the grey snow clouds that had taken over the sky. Fat flakes whipped through the air, making the world look like it was encased in an icy, thick fog. The fresh blood on Rose's wing had clotted, but her wing itself was starting to feel like someone had inserted plywood where bone and muscle should have been. She glance back at where she had come from. Goth was still on the ground, looking in her direction. She hadn't gotten very far. Her determination started to dwindle. Unfortunately, the next big gust of icy wind knocked her straight out of the sky. Her wings crumpled around her as Rose fell into the snow, creating a little burrow around her small form. _DAMN!_ She cursed silently.

A deep laugh, thick with a Spanish accent, rumbled down from the top of her snow pit.

"A frozen treat," Grinned Goth, clearly pleased with himself, "Not my taste in such...cold- conditions, but, it will have to do." He mocked. He hadn't expected the gold eyes to stare up at him with such a look of- how did these Northern bats say it?- defiance? Yes, defiance. "What? Angry with me?" He asked as he dug into the snow. He found it to be very warm, once he had himself situated, almost like a thick blanket or more fur. He watched, rather amuse, as the female tried to wriggle deeper into the snow until he grew bored. He reached over with his jaws and pulled her towards himself. His jaw's opened over her wing, about to crush down into the sensitive frozen flesh- but suddenly his jaw's closed a bit, and his teeth were covered. His tongue slipped out to clean the wound, licking away the stinging ice and blood that had formed from the tear in the girls wing and also from the dryness that was caused by the icy wind.

Rose let out a short growl of pain and shock. How was this possible?! She _never_ would have thought that she would be getting groomed by a male, _of ANY species,_ let alone a cannibalistic one.

"You know well to fear me" he told her calmly, soon having no more blood to clean from her wing and he moved back slightly, staring into her eyes for a moment. "I have decided not to eat you. I need a new- less pathetic sidekick, also...you amuse me." he said with a faint curl at the corners of his mouth.

"I shudder to think what your former partner was like, if he was more pathetic than a female with a shredded wing." Rose quipped. There was no _way_ this was going to be a good pairing. Rose understood that she was a lot to handle, and given the the temper of the southern bat in front of her, her normal mannerisms wouldn't prove to be amusing to him for long. She'd be back on the menu in a matter of days. For some reason though, she didn't feel the need to back-pedal away from the cannibal. She tried to banish the thoughts coming to her mind. _I _must _have hit my head when I fell._

His laughter rumbled about them as he tried to, yet again, hold himself together. What a witty little thing! "Heh...now that you are calm, I have a, how is it said?...propuh- proper..." he pondered for a moment, his claw tapping his chin.

Rose looked confused for a moment before she realized what Goth was trying to say. "A proposition?" She supplied gently, like with a child who was learning how to read his first words.

"Yes! Yes proposition." Goth repeated it a few times, trying to learn this new word before nodding, "now I will allow you to become my mate- my princess of darkness...if you take me to your colony and talk them into accepting me." His warm breath washed over her cold ear and it felt _divine. _Until she realized what he was asking.

"I- you- You can't be serious...?" Rose stuttered, quickly edging away from the cannibal. "You can't possibly think- first of all I don't have any intention of being your mate. Second, I'm not a Silverwing! I have no more power over them than you do and finally, you would eat little Shade! And very likely Marina! I'm sorry but I will have to decline. You may resume trying to eat me now." And then she turned her head and crossed her wings over her chest. Which left a astonished and _angry _Goth. Not good.

He let out a low snarl. "You should be honoured to be chosen as my bride!" Goth snarled as he suddenly had her pinned down in the snow, his claw's fastening her wings down tightly but not painfully. He started to lean down and Rose's breath quickened in her breast. She shook from the cold and the stress of keeping her abilities in check as they tried to unleash themselves on the giant bat. What she didn't want to acknowledge, was the tingling bit of fear that ran up her spine. The female glared at Goth with a fierce determination. He would not see her cower like a dog. NO. WAY. IN. HELL.

Goth smirked, his fangs showing, even glinting in the light that bounced off the snow "Heh, look at you, shaking like a little bird. I knew there was something I liked about you. You are stubborn as well as willing to take on something that could snap your neck- It is rather...cute," he whispered against her ear lightly. Rose blushed under her fur. Nobody had ever called her cute before. She had been called anything from spunky to demeure, from plain to beautiful. But never cute. She quickly averted her gaze. No need for the Southerner to know how she had been affected by his comment. A tingling sensation brought her eyes back to Goth's looming form and she gasped, completely forgetting how hard she had been trying to hide her emotions. The Cannibal had started running his teeth through her matted fur, grooming her a bit.

"Now tell me, Mi amor~" he practically purred into her ear, letting her wings up gently to pull her closer in against his body. "¿Se puede decir que no a mí ahora?" he whispered in his native tongue. Rose's face screwed up into one of annoyance and frustration. _They never tell you in spanish class how you need to learn the stuff so that you can understand Spanish speaking cannibal bats! Hell, I would have tried harder in the class..._

"Ah, you do not understand my language...very well. Mi Amor mean's, well, I will let you guess that one, but what I need answered is- Can you say no to me now?" he asked once more, this time in a language that could be understood. The female looked at the male confused. And the it hit her...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: I am sooooo gonna get caught...

"I still have to say no... even if I am mildly intrigued by your offer." Rose stated quietly. There was no joking, no mockery. She knew he wasn't going to like her answer. And, just like she expected, he was _not _pleased. He curled his lip up into a snarl, fully intending to start a very nasty altercation, when the female put her claw up to his mouth. "I'm saying no to trying to get you into the Silverwing colony...and, to your mating proposal," The _for now_ that echoed in her her made her frown. "But- I will help you survive the winter. _And _I will try to get you home so you can pick a proper mate for yourself in the spring." She looked into his face. He looked bemused, like he didn't expect her to come up with her own plan. _Or he's wondering how a female is gonna help him._ She thought, annoyed.  
"And this would be... simpler, than just trying to have your colony accept me?" Goth questioned. He was confused. This was far more than he had asked. _Ah well, It seems I will still get the better part of the deal. _

"Much. Shade has already told the tale of his adventure, more than a few times. You wouldn't even get a foot in the entrance. But, there _are_ a series of small caves a short way east of here. They should be warm enough for you to stay in. As for food, it's pretty scarce for all manner of being around this time of year. I'll try to bring you something later, if you want. I'm sure you're more than a little hungry." She ended, giving him a questioning glance. Goth nodded, mute. How had the little female come up with a plan so fast?

The younger bat pushed away from the male's chest and made to climb out of the snowy pit. "We should get going. The sooner I get you set up, the sooner I can get back to the colony. I'm sure Shade is having a heart attack." Rose made it over the lip of the crater and turned to see Goth close behind. "Alrighty, here we go," The female spread her wings and cringed, the pain scorching up through her wing. She glanced at the injured appendage and hissed at the bleeding gash. Instead of wallowing in the pain, she ignored it, deciding to fly anyways.

"Your wing. It is not good for you to fly, yes?" Questioned the vampyrum. No, he would not apologize, but he _was_ willing to lend a wing, if it meant he would get somewhere warm _fast. _"Perhaps it would be best, if you were to hold on to me and give me direction?

"I'm perfectly capable of flying, Goth." Rose rudely stated, "I don't need coddling."

"Of course, señorita, my mistake. Please, continue." He mocked. Fine, if she didn't want help, he would not offer it.

With a few experimental flaps of her wings, Rose took off into the grey sky. The pain was excruciating. Never before had the female ever experienced such an enormous amount of pain. _No, that's not quite right._ She thought solemnly. She shook her head hard. There was no time to think of that now. She needed to get this male out of her fur first.

Unfortunately, it's a lot easier to _say_ you can fly with an injured wing, than it is to actually do it. After about five minutes, Rose's flight looked a bit more like jumping on an invisible trampoline. She would fly straight for a few seconds before dropping down a few inches, and then she would laboriously try to give herself more altitude. It not only looked ridiculous, but the look of her wing was just _awful._ Blood dripped down and froze in little rivulets down her wing. She was becoming too slow and Goth couldn't take the pace anymore. Giving a little growl of annoyance, the larger bat forced the female to the ground.

"You will cling to me for the rest of the journey." The male said resolutely. There would be no arguments. If the female continued to fly with her wing in such a condition, it would be quite possible for her to never fly again. What good was a bat that could not fly?

Rose tried to protest, "I can still-"

"NO!" Snarled the Southern bat, leaning over to glare at her, "You will do as you are told!" And as he watched, her face when from childlike protest, to stormy rage. The wind picked up and the light flakes falling slowly from the sky suddenly started to whip around in larger numbers. For some time, all that could be heard was the wind howling through the trees. Then Rose spoke.

"I will NOT be ordered around like a child. Make no mistake, Southerner, I don't do anything I don't want to do. Remember that." She gave him one more long glare and then stepped forward. Goth, expecting some kind of attack, bared his teeth and growled low in his throat. But Rose just continued to move forward until she bumped into his chest. Borrowing her numb claws into the dense fur around Goths neck and shoulders, Rose sighed. "I will accept your _offer_, though. Thank you." She would not meet the cannibals eyes as she finished her words. There was a tense moment of silence before the young bat could feel violent shuddering of the much larger male. She looked up from her close proximity into Goth's face, only to scowl, annoyed.

"You-You are so-!" The giant male broke off, cackling. He continued, "I have never before, met a female s-so stubborn!" He tipped his head back and laughed. Rose gave a childish scowl. She hadn't meant to make him laugh. _Well, it's better than him being a snarly mess._ Her lip curled up into a half smile. Looking past the still chuckling male, Rose saw the sky. _Isn't that darker than it was earlier?_ Then she realized, "Goth! We need to get going. It's starting to get dark and I _know_ shade is going to want to send out a search party. It won't be pretty if the colony males see me with you."

"Worried about me?" Mocked the cannibal, "That is so very sweet, mi corazón, but I could kill one of those Northern males in a moment." Rose pursed her lips, looking unimpressed.

"Oh, It's not you I'm worried about. If _anyone _in the silverwing colony sees you, _I'm_ the one that's going to be stuck on roost arrest. And I _like, _getting out of Hibernaculum, thank you very much." She smirked at him. "I wouldn't put killing a fox past you." He preened under the compliment for a moment.

"Perhaps you are right. It would be a pity if you could not come and- _visit_ over the next...?" Goth glanced down at the little female.

"You have about...2 ½ months." Rose filled in, grinning.

"Maldito seas todopoderoso Zotz!" Roared the male as he took off into the air.

"Yeah, didn't think you'd be too thrilled." Grumbled Rose. "Tell me if you need a break. I'm not exactly a lightweight."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Ok...I could get used to this...

"Take a left here," Rose called up to her chauffeur. _Alright_, he was a giant, cannibal bat. But what's the difference, really? As the pair flew through the limbs of trees, a distinct, looming shape slowly started to take form. The cliff face towered at least the same height as the falls, maybe more. Little nooks and crannies dotted the cliff, some no more than a ledge, others looking like they could go on for eternity.

"Which is it?" rumbled Goth, looking annoyed. Zotz, he was cold! How Northern bats did this every year confounded him. Why not just go somewhere, he didn't know, _warm?!_ They would surely fare far better.

Rose spoke up quickly. "Look for a branch shaped like a big cat." The description was apt. Sure enough, after a few minutes Goth could see a scruffy tree covered in snow. It really did look like a pouncing cat. Turning to slide between the 'cats paws', Goth entered into what was a really puny cave with tunnels branching out from the edges. "Take a right, then a left, then another right." The female was shivering uncontrollably now. _Anyone got a small volcano I can sleep in?_ she thought with a tired grin.

The small tunnels were a nuisance. Still, all Goth could do was listen to the smaller bat holding onto his chest. He executed his turns with a gentle tip of his wings. Finally, he stopped at a decent sized cave. A bit too small for a prince, but, one must make do. Settling to the ground, the southern bat took a good look around. The cave was dark, except for a small bit of green light coming from (what looked like) some sort of mushroom. As Goth took in his surroundings, Rose disengaged herself from the males fur. Trying to maneuver her way over to an opening in the floor, the young bat was abruptly dragged backward by the scruff of her neck.

"Ow, ow, owowowowow- WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" she shrieked at the large male in her company. Couldn't he use words?! He was a big bat, he should know better than to resort to being physical unless it was a last resort!

"You were not dismissed from my presence," the male cockily stated. Rose stopped for a minute. When it finally processed that the bat had thought she was running away, she sighed and rubbed her claws in soothing circles around her temples. Good Goddess almighty, what had she done to deserve this?

"I wasn't 'dismissing myself from your presence'. I was just trying to show you where you would be staying. Jeeze..." She started back towards the opening in the floor, "If you would follow me, you'll find that there is a much better cavern over here. Unless, of course, you want to bruise my neck some more?" she threw over her shoulder. Not bothering to look at the male's face, she crawled down the hole. It was disorientating for a moment- how many times can you crawl down a hole in the floor, and end up _on the ceiling? _A very impressive cavern was situated under the plainer cave above.

Goth was awestruck. To think there was such beauty in the North under all that snow and ice! It was surprisingly warm in the cave, with soft light coming off more of the mushrooms. Tiny crystals grew embedded in the rock, reflecting the light like tiny stars. A small pool sprawled out across half of the cave, while the other half had plenty of space for him, plus some.

Caught up in the moment, Goth only noticed the female's absence once he heard a splash. The littler bat was just coming back out of the water with her catch... _Wait... Her catch? _

That's right, the petite female had caught a strange... creature in the pool, but this was no small prey. This thing was about 3 times her height with it's middle being at least twice as wide as she was tall. Goth, uncertain of what the weird thing was, could at least discern that it was meant to be his meal. He started to salivate.

"Ey, ooh wanna elp me wif dish?" Rose tried to get out around the cave fish's tail. "Ish evy!" The Male jumped forward, quick to lend a wing since he was getting a meal out of it. As they both pulled the fish out of the water, Goth couldn't help but wonder how he was supposed to eat it. With a final shove the fish was up on the shore, and for a while Goth just stared. "Well, eat up!" Rose prompted.

"Of course." Goth tried to do just that, but even as he tried to bite down on the thing, his teeth couldn't get through the scales effectively. Which left the female bat a hysterical mess. The male growled, baring his teeth at the younger bat. "What is it?!"

"I'm-I'm so sorry," Rose giggled, "I should have told you. Take your claw and scrape it lengthwise from the tail to the head. Your claw will hook under the scales and pull them off so that you can get to the muscle underneath." She hopped over to the fish and started to slice scales off systematically. After she had cleared a sufficient amount of space for her mouth, she took a small chunk of the prize and swallowed it down. "It may be a little extra work," she explained, "but it's easier to get than trying to find anything else this time of year."

Goth just stared at her strangely. "You ate it...You are like me, yes?" It was strange for him, being around a female that was so similar to his kind. And yet, she was so very different. Many females of his colony had already started to fight for his affection before he was taken from the South. This female seemed completely unaffected by him.

"Well, yes _and _no. I do eat meat, when I am in the mood. But I'll eat other things, too." the smaller bat tried to explain. She succeeded in making him interested. Instead of pestering the female though, he decided to continue on with his meal. The 'fish' as she called it had a strange texture. It had a tender, but slippery feel that he had never experienced before. It tasted fine, in fact it was actually very good. Soon he was gulping down big chucks of the meat at an alarming rate.

"Slow down! No one is gonna _take it_ from you!" Rose exclaimed, surprised at how fast the food was disappearing down the male's throat. _Exactly how long has it been since he last ate?!_ She thought incredulously. She really looked Goth over. His ruff was matted in some places while his mane was in total disarray. He was still muscular but far too lean, even for his species. As she had been examining the Vampyrum he had proceeded to finish his meal. Turning his gaze from the pile of bones to the female, he grinned as their eyes met.

"Impressed, señorita?" he teased, "If you keep on staring like that, a male might get the wrong idea." The young bat stiffened a little and his grin widened considerably at the sight. The female began to stride towards him with purpose. _Perhaps, I have said something I should not... _Preparing for the worst, Goth rose to his full height and glared at his host. She reached out a claw and...?

"Your mane is a mess..." Rose said softly, lifting up a bedraggled hunk of fur. "And your ruff, it looks like someone _tied_ knots into it!". She glanced up. "Would you like some help with it?" She was, admittedly, worried about the males' fur. Knots that are left for too long could create a whole host of problems, and she wasn't thinking just vermin. There was a chance that the mats would start to cut off the circulation to the skin, giving way to disease.

She turned from him and began to scale one of the walls up to something of a roost. By the time she made it up, Goth was already hanging there waiting. Damn her wing! It hurt like hell! But she managed to roost without making a squeak, much to her satisfaction. She silently settled behind the larger bat hoping that he was giving her permission to groom him by being up there with her. She glanced around his back and made for the largest mat, lightly picking at the ends and working her way deeper into the fur with her claws. It was surprising how soft the fur was. Moving onto another mat, the little female had no idea what she was doing to the male in front of her.

The pleasure he got from her touch- it was astounding! It was like having live wires arcing to his skin, each touch making his nerves tingle. The female continued to comb her claws through the dense fur of his ruff, not noticing Goth's reaction to the grooming. One particularly violent shudder was noticed by the smaller bat, but it was mistaken for pain rather than pleasure.

Jumping away, Rose checked over Goth's back. "I'm sorry, did I pull too hard?"

"No, not at all. Please, continue." Goth rasped out. He didn't want her to stop. He longed for the feel of her claws running through his fur. _Ridiculous! _He refused to let his emotions take him over.

"Well, the knots back here are all out. Except for your mane that is. I should probably leave though. The first cave we were in is one of the places they'll look for me. If I get there I should be able to get back to my roost."

She didn't even get halfway through what she was saying before Goth was shaking his head. Once she was _done,_ he vocalized his objections. Loudly.

"NO! You will stay here. I do not wish to be left to waste away in this- PIT," snarled the male, clearly losing his good mood. There was no way he was going to let the smaller bat go that easy. What if she didn't come back? Or worse. What if she brought back the males of her colony? Being holed up here was the least of his problems. He could be stuck until he either died of hunger, or until spring. No, he would not be left to die.

Rose sighed. "I have to go. They're going to search for me until they find something. If that means coming all the way back here, they'll do it." She looked at the silent snarl on the other bats face. "Don't give me that. I _will _come back. No sense in promising to send you home and then leaving you to die..."

He scoffed, "And what reason do you have to come back? Your word? Worthless! How do I know you will not trick me? No, you will stay. I will not allow you to leave." To emphasize his point, he flew over to the opening in the ceiling and hung in a way that would keep her from getting to the outside.

Rose hung for a moment, shocked at Goth's behavior. Then what he said cut through the haze. It made her _angry._ What right did he have, to make her do _anything_ she disagreed with? He'd been acting like a spoiled brat the whole day, and she was done with the attitude.

"Listen here, you overgrown excuse for _a mouse_!" she snarled ferociously, "I'm helping you out because it's mutally beneficial for _both _of us. That does _not_ give you the excuse to order me around like a servant girl or to treat me like an idiot! So far I have lived up to my half of the bargain. If you can't deal with my way of doing things then you can kill me right now _and just be done with it!_" she finished with a scream of pure rage. Goth looked quite taken aback at the outburst. A little angry, but more surprised than anything else. _Still wanna mate me now big boy? No? Didn't think so._

She was so _loud!_ To think something her size could produce so much sound...the decibel level was comparable to a tiger rather than a bat. It would be lying to say that he wasn't angry at her outburst, but he couldn't really blame the female. He was baring her only exit. No way out. As he watched, she slowly crawled down the wall and went to crouch by the pool. She ran her claws over her face and through her mane, looking for all the world like she wanted to yell some more. Then she paused. Her claws burrowed into her ruff and clasped something underneath the fur. She looked...afraid. Immediately Goth had a feeling of intense rage. What was making her have that face? And how could he kill it? What she said next brought him down from his perch.

"Will you keep it safe?" It was a simple question, but even as Rose looked into Goth's face, she knew he didn't understand. She reached behind her neck and fumble a little with a clasp. _Stupid claws._ Finally, the clasp opened and a slender snake chain slipped of her neck. She held it close, cradling the necklace like a lifeline.

Goth stared at the little piece of jewelry. What else could he do? It was a marvelous piece. The silver chain had a pendant on the end. The pendant itself, however, was the true masterpiece. Silver wire, thin as hair laced an interesting stone in intricate patterns. Interesting, because the stone looked rather like a soap bubble, complete with the colored glint. Inside the gem was what looked like an undulating smoke cloud. Sometimes, you could see through the wisps to the back of the gem but it would be taken back into the mist just as quickly.

"My Mother had this made for me when I was born. She died soon after. It's all I have left of that life... If I promise...and let you hold onto this, while I'm gone, will you let me leave?" She looked up at him, fear mixed with resolve clouding the golden deaths of her eyes. "...please?"

The eyes were what did it. His resolve to keep the little female crumbled, and he reluctantly held his claw out for the gem. The girl flinched, visibly shaken by the idea of giving up her most precious possession. It was-painful, for him to watch her wrestle with her need for freedom and the need to keep the gem with her. _What is this Northerner doing to me?_ Sighing, he gestured to the the necklace.

"I will keep it safe, señorita. I swear on my honor." He gave her a soft, debonair smile; leaning forward to look at her at eye level. The smaller bat scrutinized his face, looking for any sign of malice or trickery. But she didn't see anything, no. She couldn't, only knowing him to a few hours. _Then why does it feel like she is in my very soul!_ Goth growled mentally. The young bat sighed, looking defeated.

"Please...keep it safe. I don't know what I'd do if I never saw it again." Rose tipped her claws forward, sending the silver spilling into Goth's hand. The gesture left her feeling drained, and all she could offer the male was a small smile. "I'll get going then." She made to move toward the cavern exit, only to be stopped short by the Southern bat.

"Climbing down was easy. Getting back up- well señorita, that will be to much in your state. Allow me to assist you.". He stepped close to the female, towering over her. Knowing better than to argue, the smaller bat nodded gratefully and anchored herself to Goth's chest. Her wing was so sore, in a way she was kind of happy he was willing to lend a wing.

"Hnn..." the larger bat murmured contemplatively, looking down at the little female as he took off. She, in turn, glanced up at him quizzically.

"What?" she questioned lightly, suddenly feeling very self conscious at being so close to him. He chuckled to himself. "What is it?" She grinned, liking the rumble of laughter though the bigger bats chest.

"To put it simply señorita pequeña , you are far too cute." The female frowned lightly at the statement, then gave the male a smirk that _screamed _mischief.

"Gracias Príncipe. Eso es- ehh, muy amable de tu parte." She said stumblingly in spanish. _Thank you, Spanish class... and Mom!_ Goth's face was brilliant, the look of surprise and pleasure dominating his features. Rose felt very proud of herself, actually, for being able to make him show so many faces. The sudden drop in altitude surprised her though.

"Whoa, watch it!" The ginger bat clutched tighter to the males chest. They were _way_ to close to the wall for comfort.

"You- spoke in my tongue." Goth finally got out. "How is it that you...?" It truly was an interesting development. How was it she could speak his language if she had never been to the South? Their current tunnel connected back to the first cave that opened into the outside. Already he could feel the chill biting at his wings. An involuntary shiver ran through him, the tremors vibrating up through the claws of his new acquaintance.

"Hey, why don't you stop here? No need to freeze your fur off if you don't have to," Rose reasoned. She was a little worried about the male. It wasn't good for anyone to be so thin and be in this kind of cold. Goth nodded and made a noise of agreement as he settled to the ground. Sticking to the tunnels shadow, the pair disengaged from each other, the large Southerner and the smaller Northerner at a loss as to what to say. A glint from the male's claws gave Rose her escape from the awkward silence.

"Would you mind- putting the necklace on?" She asked sheepishly, "I know you promised, but...". Goth's face contorted into into a look of annoyance, a sneer clearly present, and sighed. He didn't have any trouble with getting the chain around his throat, it was the damn latch that he couldn't get! After trying futilely for a few minutes he snarled in frustration.

"This is not working!" He growled, annoyed. He glared at Rose. "You put it on."

Rose sighed at the childish behavior, "Alright, alright. Jeeze..." She stepped up close to Goth, "I'm not going to be able to help if I can't reach. Would you mind...?" _Cummon world. Let me be the same height as someone someday. I dare you._

Crouching down close to the floor, Goth waited for the female to connect the chain. She came very close to his person, so close in fact that tufts of her ruff tickled his nose. He took a breath, taking in her scent. _It is always good to be prepared..._ If he had to find her, it would be better to know her scent beforehand.

The little bat's scent was very floral, like the jungle in the midst of spring- only different. Cooler and dryer, not like the other northern bats he had- encountered. He took another discreet sniff, committing the scent to memory for the future.

"Done!" Rose cried victoriously. Puling away from the southern bat, the female looked at her handy work. The necklace rested lightly on top of Goth's fur, much higher than were it would have been on her neck.

"Wow. You even make a female's necklace look good on you...oop!" She clapped a hand over her mouth quickly. Goth's head whipped up and he zeroed in on her face in surprised glee. Grinning he took predatory steps toward her. Pinning her back against the wall, he leaned down so that his mouth was right up against the shell of her ear.

"What was that,... señorita pequeña?" Goth practically purred into the females ear. Tremors racked her body as his warm breath caressed her ear.

"ROSE? HEY, ROSE, YOU IN THERE?" Came a shout through the opening to the outside. It was low but not yet mature. It didn't _sound_ like Shade...

"Chinook?" She looked Goth in the eye, "I've gotta go now. If they come all the way in here...goddess help us both." She made to leave but the male grabbed her arm as she she went past. He looked- strange like he wanted her to stay but couldn't really say why. Rose tried to console him.

"I _swear_ I will come back." She gave his claw a squeeze, then walked out of the shadows.

'Chinook' landed in the cave and rushed to the females side. He was obviously concerned about her well being. Goth silently snarled at the puny male in disgust. He never could understand how the tiny northern females managed to survive with such weak protectors. He turned his attention back to the pair in the cave and nearly threw himself at the other male at what happened next.

"Rose what happened? Half of the males in the colony are out looking for you, not to mention that Shade's acting like you've been kidnapped." Chinook chided, looking very stern for a teen. He had the female looking down at her clawed toes dejectedly. She shuffled from foot to foot uncomfortably. Why she didn't yell at _this_ male Goth couldn't fathom either.

"I'm sorry Chinook, I was flying when the wind picked up and I fell. My wing's gotten worse, that's why I didn't try to get back to the roost..." She raised her wing so the northern male could see.

"Nocturna, Rose that rip is _twice _as freakin' big as it was this morning! Are you _trying_ to become flightless?! Man- it's bleeding all over the place!" Goth snapped to attention. _All over the...!_ Goth looked at the ground and saw little puddles of black-red liquid staining the floor.

"Here, let me help you get cleaned up." Goth snapped his head back to the scene unfolding before him. Chinook was on one knee holding the rip delicately in his claws and licking the blood off the tattered edges. Rose, looking alarmed, stepped away from the other bat.

"Thanks Chinook, but I can take care of it." She smiled tenderly at the young male. "So. How are we getting back?" She asked bluntly. Chinooked looked dubious.

"Well I thought I could carry you-" He tried to say but Rose cut him off before he could finish.

"Not gonna work, Hun. You and I both know it. I'm too heavy for pretty much everyone except Goliath." _Goliath?_ Goth thought. He peaked out to look at 'Rose'. _I never _did _ask her name._

"We're in luck! Goliath was assigned to me when we started looking. He should be outside." The male hopped to the cave exit, and let out a deafening roar. "I FOUND HER! SHE"S IN HERE!" What was with these northern bats and their vocal chords?!

After getting stunned by the sudden, brain-shattering echo, Goth was unprepared for the shock of seeing a bat almost his size with pitch black fur come through the opening. Rose was clearly smiling in delight now. A stalagmite shattered under the Southern bats grip.

"Goliath! How are- Oof!" Rose was wrapped up in a bear hug by the dark bat. Pulling away from the embrace Rose gave the giant a grin that looked like it _hurt_ it was so big. "It's good to see you too big guy." The Large Northern Bat cocked his head to the side, looking at the female expectantly.

"Uh I'm mostly ok, Just gonna need a lot of painkiller when we get back to the roost." She gestured to her ripped wing. The inquisitive look on Goliath,s face changed from worried curiously to exasperated anger. Gesturing wildly, he never spoke a word. _Mute perhaps_? Goth mused. Rose started speaking again.

"I know, I know, I was stupid!" Pause for more wild gestures. "I'm not trying to scare the kids! It's not like my whole wing is gone! I'll still be able to play..." Pause again. "Look, I'm sorry for worrying you all." Rose tried to calm the large bat down. The black bat gave her a deadpan glare that screamed, _Really? That's all you got? You. Are. Exhausting!_

"I'm sorry I'm energetic!" She growled back jokingly. It was- odd, to see her so calm. Goth couldn't help but feel animosity toward the two northerners. Goliath stepped forward and motioned for Rose to grab onto his chest.

"Ok captain pushy! Jeeze!" Rose joked, grinning madly. Chinook just shook his head in mock frustration.

"What are we gonna do with you Rose..."

Goliath took off out of the cave entrance with Rose in tow. Chinook took a look around the cave again. The sound of a rock knocked about the inside of one of the tunnels and Chinook honed in on it, snapping his head in the direction of the noise.

"Wha...?" He said to himself.

"Hey, Chinook! Cummon we've gotta get back! The colonies gonna be worried." Rose called down from the air grinning.

"Yeah, cause I need _you _to tell me that..." Chinook looked back at the tunnel, then shrugged. Taking a flying leap of the entrance ledge, Chinook beat his wings once, twice and took off after the two retreating forms in the distance.

Goth stood leaned against the wall pondering what he had just witnessed. It seemed to him he had some competition. Not that he minded. The little she bad didn't mean all that much to him, but he was interested in her, that was for sure. Well, hunting always was more fun when there was more that one hunter.

_Watch, señorita pequeña you will be mine soon enough..._


	6. Chapter 6

AN: If you don't know my writing style NS indicates a scene change.

**Chapter 6:**

The way back to the Silverwing roost was uneventful. No problems, just a smooth ride. It only took one tantrum from Shade to turn it into a nightmare. Rose rolled her eyes as the smaller male continued to rant at her, Goliath nodding silently behind him.

"I even asked you to be careful! And what do you do? You practically rip your wing in half!" Shade raved, waving his wings around for emphasis. _Is it bad that I'm finding this kinda funny...? _Rose thought to herself, stifling a giggle at the scene.

Shade sighed moodily. "This isn't getting through to you at all, is it?"

"Nope!" Rose grinned mischievously. Cummon! How long was she really going to listen to his little lecture? She didn't need it. She would heal up to where she started in about an hour! No harm done.

"Have you even seen what my wing looks like?" Spreading her wing open she winced a bit. Already the wound had closed about a quarter down from the top. Goliath looked from Rose's wing to her face in shock.

"But Chinook said...?" Shade muttered, confused. With a perplexed look he quickly inspected the wing. "Chinook said that is was much worse!"

"And you took what he said seriously? He's been known to exaggerate, Shade," Rose admonished, giving him a feigned disappointed look. She knew she was playing the poor boy, but she was _not_ gonna risk an angry Goth just so her wing would heal at bat speed! She needed to get back tomorrow, if not sooner. Lost to her musings, she didn't see Goliath giving her one of his famous hard stares. As she glanced up, Goliath quickly averted his gaze, trying hard not to make himself look guilty.

"Well, good news is you'll still be able to fly." Shade sighed. "Bad news is you're gonna have to treat it really gingerly, and you're gonna have to fly with a buddy. Meaning Goliath." The resulting shriek made every bat that wasn't deaf cringe and turn their gaze towards the source of the sound.

"**WHAT?!"**

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Goth twisted the little gem in his claws, looking at the smoke curling inside the little sphere. _Such a strange little thing..._ He thought to himself. _Then again, I must look at the one who owns it._ He chucked. She really was a strange little thing, that Rose. She was afraid, yes, but there was also some hidden strength there. He would have to be blind not to notice that! He let the jewel drop from his claws. It would be an interesting few months. And if it wasn't? Well, he could always eat the little bat...

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"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"**NO! LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!"** Rose sang loudly, cutting off Shade's persistent comeback. She was _not_ having Goliath as a watch dog! Nope, not happening! She did _not _need babysitting.

"Rose, what if you go down again?! It could be ages before someone finds you and gets you to a warm roost! You'll freeze to death!" The poor boy was frantic, but Rose couldn't give in. What if Goliath saw Goth? The female shuddered. There would be unholy war. Goliath may be mute but he was the best fighter in the whole colony- you could even call him famous! And being the same size as Goth, any fight would be a long, bloody affair. Not only that, but Goliath pitied her- at least that's what she thought it was. He was constantly there to protect her from anything, even letting her come to him when she was being talked about by the older mothers of the colony.

She had heard the old females chat about her behind her back. How she was unnaturally large, how she would never find a mate to fit her 'I'm strong enough' attitude. It was hurtful, but nevertheless true. Seeing as she wasn't even a bat it shouldn't have pained her quite as much as it did, but it still stung. Especially once they started about having children. Rose loved kids, often watching the smaller ones while their parents went of to forage for insects. It was nice to have so many little friends, especially when the more mature of the colony didn't really accept her. But she did wish she had her own.

_Not gonna happen Rose. Just get back to business. _

"The male has better things to do than watch me get some exercise!" Rose tried to persuade. "Save him the torture!" Shade just shook his head.

"I'm not letting you go out by yourself. That's it, no more arguments." He folded his wings across his chest defiantly. Rose practically shook with anger. The wind picked up and howled through the cavern of Hibernaculum ominously. Then suddenly, it all went quiet. Rose let out a deep sigh.

"Fine. But I want to get some space when I land! The caves I found earlier had potential." She spun around on her heel and started to stalk away. Shade's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what she meant.

"Potential for what?" he questioned from behind the large female's turned back. Rose stopped, and gave the boy a look over her shoulder. Then she turned back around and started to walk away.

"It seems like a good place to let out some pent-up energy." Then, out of nowhere, she swiped her claws across the wall of the cave, leaving deep scratches on the surface. Shade could only stand there, in shock of her violent outburst, as she stormed out of the cave.

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Rose stalked toward the exit to Hibernaculum with a purpose. Maybe if she could reach the opening in the cliff face before-

Too late. A heavy black claw lightly gripped her shoulder before she could take another step. Goliath cocked his head to the side, giving her a questioning look. The younger female sighed.

"I just was stepping out for some air. You don't have to come with me." She looked down at her toes as the male gave her a scowl. "I wasn't gonna fly! I was just going to sit on the ledge for a bit!" she fibbed, hoping he would fall for it. Goliath raised one eyebrow and gave the female a half smirk. She could practically hear his thoughts: "_...Really...?"_

"Party pooper..." Rose pouted at the black bat. Scowling at herself, she nestled into a niche in the cave wall. "Did Shade tell you what what he and I decided on? That you were going to come with me, but give me my space when I landed?" Goliath nodded, then turned his stare on her wing. _Goddess almighty, I hate it when he does that... _"What?"

He jerked his head toward her wing, then cocked his head questioningly. Rose smirked, cocking her head back. Scowling at the tease, Goliath pointed at her wound and made a big space between his claws.

"Oh! No, no it wasn't bigger, it must have just looked that way because of the blood." Goliath frowned at the female. "How would my wing heal that much between the cliff and here? I'd have to be magic for me to heal that fast!" she laughed. Goliath smirked at Rose, then, quick as a flash, grabbed her around her waist and flipped her over his shoulder.

Rose shrieked and giggled as Goliath carried her back through Hibernaculum. Goliath just held on as he walked back through the tunnels, looking like he'd just caught the catch of the century. Passing males waved and laughed, joking with the large male as he passed by.

"Hey Goliath, catch yourself a little spit fire? Good luck man!"

"Watch out for that tongue, boy! She's sharp!"

"Ha-ha, very funny guys!" Rose smirked at the joking pair of males. Shaking her head in mock exasperation, she caught a glance of a group of females. Several of them stayed clumped together whispering to each other, staring at her. Glaring at her. Rose went slack on Goliath's shoulder.

"Goliath... I'd like to get down now..." she mumbled. Goliath glanced at her, startled. Setting her down gently he tried to look her in the eye, to no avail. "See you later big guy..." She smiled half-heartedly. Turning down the way they had come, Rose looked smaller than before. Goliath wanted to reach out and pull her back, but even as he snapped back to reality, her back faded into the shadows.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I love you guys. No I'm not drunk, I just enjoy having people like and comment about my stuff. It's a real ego booster.**

Chapter 7:

"Oh, would you just WAKE UP?!" Rose yelled, practically tenderizing Goliath's wings. And _still_ the sleeping giant wouldn't stir. It was like poking a bear with a popsicle stick. _Not_ effective. Rose suddenly got an idea. _Why am I trying to wake him up?! _She whacked her head. _I swear I'm not the brightest mushroom...Bat sayings! Gah, no! _She shook her head in annoyance. Scaling the walls of the cavern as quietly as possible, Rose made it to the Hibernaculum's exit. Tossing a furtive look over her shoulder, she took off through the waterfall, on her way to see the 'prince of darkness'. _Oh joy... _

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_What is taking her so long! I should have never let her free... _Snarling angrily, Goth snapped a stalagmite in half and threw the sharp point violently against the cave wall. Not stopping to look as the shattered bits of limestone pattered down to the floor, the cannibal took off through the exit of 'his' cave. Racing through the tunnels, he got more and more agitated. Almost blurring, he streaked out of the tunnels into the light...

...Where he collided with Rose, who had just gotten to the cliff after her frenzied flight.

Goth, not realizing that the bat who just whacked into him was the same bat he had been looking for, righted himself in the air. He wheeled back toward his opponent, slamming into her at full speed. The cannibal forced the female into the entrance of the maze of caves and pinned her by the neck against a cave wall. He reared back his head, ready to rip the gasping bat to shreds, when a familiar scent filled his nose.

"Señorita pequeña?" Goth's head started to clear and he dropped the smaller bat quickly. Rose gasped, inhaling gulps of air. Still panting harshly, she glared at the cannibal.

"Good morning-to you-too!" she managed to get out. The older bat growled, crouching in front of the female and getting right in her face.

"**Where** were you! I have been _waiting_!" he snarled, his bared teeth close to her nose. A shiver of fear slithered down her spine. Curling in on herself she couldn't help but think she didn't have the energy to deal with this right now. Sighing, Rose motioned for Goth to follow her back into the cave, but didn't bother to check if he was coming along as she flew down the corridors. Mildly disturbed by the usually talkative female's silence, Goth trailed behind, still glowering but more worried than anything else. What had got the little bat so quite?

"Sorry if I'm not myself. I haven't slept well in nights. Guess it's catchin' up to me," She mumbled over her shoulder. Goth pulled up next to the little female and gave her a look.

The younger bat sighed. "After Chinook and Goliath picked me up, we went back to Hibernaculum. My wing needed to be looked at so they took me to Shade." Goth's upper lip pulled away from his teeth in anger. What kind of trouble was that runt starting now?

"He threw a fit," Rose said droopily. "The wing wasn't even that bad! ...but he still gave me a choice. Hibernaculum arrest for a week...or fly with a partner. I think you can guess what I chose."

Goth stayed silent for a moment, pondering the new turn of events. So she had to fly with another, huh? That was unfortunate- wait. If she was here, then where was the-!?

Pushing in front of Rose, the giant cannibal forced the female to stop mid flight, "Where is your guardian then? He did not protect you when I attacked. He must be close by if-" Goth paused. "What is it?" Rose had a guilty look on her face, one that just could not be ignored.

"I left him back at Hibernaculum. He was sleeping." She did a facepalm which was quite the impressive feat, seeing that she was still hovering in midair, and groaned, "Shade is going to kill me!" The Goddess must hate her. It's the only reason why this winter would be so- so- _exhausting_.

Goth scoffed, "I have a hard time believing that _Shade_, of _all_ bats, would kill you." He paused for a moment. "And if he tried, he would suffer my wrath." He gave a glance over his wing at the smaller bat wondering what she would think of his declaration. The little female smiled tiredly.

"If he knew you were alive he'd probably die of shock. You wouldn't even have to raise a claw," she joked half heartedly, landing at her destination. "You're hungry, right? I'll get you a fish." Rose waded into the water, swiftly going under, but before she could even start swimming a claw grabbed her wrist. Eyes widening, the female whipped around to see what was going on. She had to stop herself from gasping. Goth had followed her into the water.

Raising an eyebrow at the younger bat, Goth gave an almost evil smirk as he pulled ahead of her in the water. Rose was dumbstruck. Then she grinned. _No way to explain, just go with it. _

Sneaking up on the fish in the cave pool was easy. It was catching them that was the hard part. Most of them were huge! The first fish had been a small fry in comparison! Rose groaned inwardly. She was too tired to catch one of these giants. Turning to see where Goth had gotten to, she nearly screamed when she saw him trying to take on one of the enormous fish. The cave fish was big, even by human standards and the moron was trying to kill it like he would a normal animal. Quickly swimming over Rose got in front of a wall and twisted violently to churn the water. The fish, being blind and thinking whatever was moving might have been whatever was attacking, (or at least a meal,) swam at full speed toward the wriggling bat.

Goth saw the fish leaving and thought he was out of trouble, when he saw the fish ready to ram the little female into the wall. He started to panic. Why wasn't she getting out of the way?! At the last second, Rose dove down and the cave dweller slammed head first into the wall of the lake, dying on impact. Rose swam towards the surface, not really caring about the fish. She just wanted a nap.

Gasping, she reached the surface and started to swim back to shore. Goth popped up soon after, the cave fish clasped in his fangs. Rose didn't care. She stumbled out of the water, completely exhausted. Slipping on a patch of slime, the young bat started to fall, only to be caught by giant claws.

"Are you alright?" Goth asked, somewhat worried (despite the fact that he should not feel as such) about the little female's lack of grace. Rose shook her head weakly. "My wing still hurts, and the lack of sleep is catching up to me. And that fish fiasco was a bit... much." Goth nodded. It was one of the reasons why he had gone with her. The female looked like she couldn't have taken another wingbeat when she had _gotten_ to the lake. Now she look more like death warmed over.

Cradling Rose in one wing, Goth made his way back to the fish and crouched with her practically in his lap. Make no mistake, he was just planning on helping her eat. After all, the female had played a key role in killing the creature, she should at least be able to get a meal out of it. He was _not_ losing his mind and hoping that she would care for him as something- more. _Imposible_. He did not need this little bat. It was instinctual to protect and worry about a female. Survival -that was all.

Rose had barely moved since being picked up, curling in on herself and nestling closer to him. Why exactly was she so tired? Lack of sleep was one thing, but the dizziness and reduced reaction time? She was more energetic the day before even after he had _attacked_ her!

A growling noise pulled his attention away from his ponderings. Was the little bat angry at him? Looking down at the female under his wing, Goth heard the growling sound again but it wasn't coming from the Northerner's mouth.

It was coming from her stomach.

"Señorita, it seems you are not just tired. Perdón, but when was the last time you had a meal?" He fixed her with a hard stare. To be this exhausted, one must have not eaten one or two meals. What good were the males of the silverwing colony? They couldn't even make sure their females ate!

Rose mumbled something under her breath and Goth rumbled in displeasure, "Speak up!"

"Since the fish yesterday..." Rose murmured, not exactly liking the look being sent her way. The Southern bat's eyes widened. Turning to the fish, he sliced of the scales and ripped away a large chunk of fish. Holding the meat with his claw, the larger male propped the female up.

"This is not acceptable to me. Eat, I will feed later." Goth pressed the food closer to her mouth. Rose lifted a shaky claw to take the piece from the male, only to have it jerked away. Goth growled.

"You will drop it. Just open your mouth."

Rose gave him an incredulous look. "You _can't_ be serious." But he wouldn't give her the food, no matter how hard she tried to get it. Finally she glared at him, "Fine." Opening her mouth (and feeling totally useless) she allowed Goth to feed her bits of fish. _This must look so strange... _

"Let's not make this a habit," the younger bat said with a pout.

"On the contrary, señorita. We should do this again." He chuckled at her look of annoyance, and leaned in close. "with you feeling more- energetic." Rose cocked her head. There wouldn't be a reason for this if she was feeling well...

Speaking of which, she was _already_ starting to feel better! _Guess it really _was _lack of eating..._ Squirming out of Goth's hold, the Northern bat started to groom herself. _Water and fur are so _not _friends. Makes terrible snarls... _Goth looked at her for a moment thenturned back to the fish. Scarfing down the food as fast as he could, he quickly finished up and went to the lake to get a drink, all the while stealing glances at the little ginger bat.

Rose had crawled up the wall to a nice sized roost by that point. Toying with the damp curls trailing down her back, Rose never noticed the Southern cannibal come up behind her. Until he touched her mane. Gasping, the smaller bat almost fell off of her perch. Goth rumbled warningly behind her and she forced herself to stay still. What was the male up to?

Muttering to himself, Goth ran his claws and fangs through the females fur, working from tips to roots very much like she had done to him yesterday. Leaning into his touch Rose sighed contently. It was nice to have someone else play with her fur. It almost felt like a massage, it felt so good.

"Hermosa..." Goth murmured to himself. Rose tilted her head back lazily, "Hmm?"

"Your coloring. The jungle hosts a variety of colorful species, but the colorings of the bats of the South are not nearly as bright as yours. Nor have I ever met a bat with a mane such as yours. Tiene usted toda la belleza, mi corazón." His voice was husky as he gently loosened another knot out of the female's curls. Smiling her appreciation even though she didn't entirely understand, Rose turned back around to enjoy the large male's minstrations and slipped into pleasant daydreams. Until-

"_I'll get you. One Day..._

_You won't be free forever..._

_One day, it will all end."_

Rose's eyes flew open. What was she doing here? Any mate she would find would never be able to... Even Goth wouldn't stand a chance against...

She abruptly pulled away from the larger bat.

Goth was surprised to say the least. Rose had been totally relaxed, then, all at once had stiffened. He pulled the female back towards him with a snarl, towering over her smaller frame. Once she was back in proximity however, the cannibal relaxed and returned to playing with the curly fur.

Unfortunately for Goth, Rose never calmed back down.

She left a few moments later, badly shaken and smelling strongly of grief.

* * *

**AN: If you people any knew the comments that my editor may to this chapter...**

**Let's just say that she's a RoseXGoliath fan...And she hates Goth's attitude with a burning passion...**

**It's hysterical.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Truth be told, having Goliath around wasn't as bad as Rose had thought it would be. Yeah, he was conscious of her every move after she came back from visiting Goth that day, but other than that it was a big help having him around. Goliath even took her to the cave afterword to let her 'get rid of some energy'. Due to all that caution and nagging Rose's wing had begun to heal surprisingly quick. _That _was nice. Shade was of course surprised. Her damaged wing that should have taken at least three months to heal right was only taking two. Luckily, all the female had to do was praise the younger bat's nursing skills and he'd puff up in pride.

Unfortunately, Goliath didn't buy it. He constantly looked at her from across a room, looking very perplexed. The bat was _way _ too observant for his own good. Finally Rose snapped.

"What?" she questioned, looking at the large bat with some worry. "Is there something the matter?" The black bat looked at her searchingly, then slowly shook his head. Rose, not quite happy with the answer, watched him some more, then turned back to Shade to answer his questions.

Now Goliath was not a happy bat. He knew he wasn't too bright, but why was he the only one really having a problem? What was wrong with her wing healing so fast? Nothing really, it just didn't seem right. He had been in many scraps with owls, other bats- heck he'd even gotten into a fight with a fox and managed to live. So, he wasn't exaggerating when he thought that the female's wing was impossible.

The male shook his head. He should be happy for the little bat. She was finally getting her flight back.

...Nope. Couldn't let it go.

"Woohoo!" Rose practically screamed. Shade smiled lightly but soon put his killjoy face on.

"You only have two more days, _if you don't_ _**stress**_ _it!_" the small bat chided, looking meaningfully at the female's raised wings. Giggling sheepishly, Rose put her arms down hurriedly.

"You know? You are a total pain in the butt when you are in charge..." Rose glared playfully at the young male as he mock bowed.

"But that's part of the job description. You wouldn't want me to be bad at my job, now would you?" he said, smiling back. The female just stuck her tongue out at him.

Turning to the black bat hanging from the next roost over, Rose grinned like a little kid. "Did you hear that Goliath?! I'm in the home stretch!" Goliath grinned back and flew over, embracing the female as he landed. He was happy she would be able to fly, after all. Gesturing to the cave exit, he tried to suggest they go out to celebrate. And Rose, with her seeming ability to read his mind, nodded in agreement.

"Do you think we could go to the caves again?" she asked innocently. Goliath's smile faded. He knew when she wanted to go to the caves, he wasn't to enter. Under _any_ circumstances. But still he nodded, silently giving his consent. Rose grinned happily, chittering about this and that as she grabbed some leaves that made a nice smell when crushed, as well as a very interesting twig from something she called a tea tree.

"Alrighty, ready to go!" the little female bat chirped. Smiling lightly, the larger bat stepped forward to let her grab the ruff around his neck. Beating his wings in great arcs, Goliath shot out of the cave with a small smile.

NSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNSNS NSNSNSNS

Goth was a fairly patient bat by most standards. Unfortunately, Rose had a habit of being late. For _everything. _She was supposed to be here an hour ago! Oddly enough though, the little bat always managed to show up right before he set out to find her. Which was lucky for her because he would have been _really _grumpy if he had to find her out in the cold.

Speak of Zotz and he shall appear. In came the ginger bat, lugging a bunch of leaves and a small twig.

"Hello!" she chirped happily, humming as she set down her load. Over the last couple weeks, the female's cheery attitude had grown on him. In fact, if she didn't act like she was now, Goth would immediately start to hover around her. Had she slept? Had she eaten? Did another male try to court her? Was she going to pass out? Depending on her behavior, all these thoughts went through Goth's head and more. Not that he would ever let on his worry to the younger bat. (Not that she couldn't see him freaking out anyway...)

"Here! I brought some things," Rose passed the leaves and twig to Goth. He looked at them quizzically. _Eh? And what do I do with this?_ He looked back at the female expectantly.

"It's for your teeth," the female giggled. "Hate to tell you this but your breath stinks. Try chewing up those leaves and rubbing the stick over your teeth. You won't have carnivore breath." She scrunched up her nose in mock disgust. Goth frowned jokingly. "Carne? But I have only eaten fish mi amor!"

Giggling, Rose only shook her head. _Who would have thought he would have a sense of humor?_ Turning to the lake, Rose dove in. Quickly grabbing a decent sized fish she swam back up to the surface.

Only to be met by two enormous bats slashing at each other, one very vocal the other baring his teeth silently.

And the bright red of blood.

Goth had met Goliath.

_Shit. _


End file.
